


The West Wing Oneshots

by arborealstops



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 19:26:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16771372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arborealstops/pseuds/arborealstops
Summary: Collection of some one-shots I wrote in my spare time.





	1. One - Jed Bartlet/Leo McGarry

Jed had realized that, yet again, he hadn’t been taking the best care of himself. He was working late nights, getting back to the residence at three in the morning and getting up at six to start working again, and he wasn’t eating well. Mrs. Landingham constantly reminded him to get something, anything to munch on, but he never seemed to remember. Every time Abigail left for a trip, Jed found himself worrying less and less about his health, and finally, it had caught up with him.  
He was finishing a meeting with Leo, Josh, Toby, C.J. and Sam when the episode occurred. He went to stand up and found that he was unable to do so. His head spun, and his vision blacked out for a moment. When he could finally focus on what was going on, he saw Leo and C.J. standing on either side of him, looking worried. Jed attempted to wave them away, but it didn’t work.  
“Are you okay, sir?” C.J. asked worriedly. “Should I get someone? I don’t mean any offense, Mr. President, but you look like shit.”  
“I’m fine, C.J.,” Jed replied, looking away from her and toward Leo. Their eyes met, and Jed knew that Leo understood what was going on.  
“The president is fine,” Leo assured everyone in the room. “I’ll help him up to the residence. You all go back to work.” Sam and Josh hesitated a moment, then left the room, followed by Toby and C.J.  
“How bad is it, sir?” Leo asked gruffly as he helped his best friend to his feet. Jed took a deep breath and shook his head.  
“Not bad, Leo.” He was lying. He hated anyone seeing him like this. He didn’t like showing signs of weakness, and everyone had seen him today. “It’s not bad at all. In fact, I can probably get to the residence myself, I’ll just take and Advil and get back to- woah!”  
Jed stumbled as he tried walking forward without Leo’s help. Leo caught him and wrapped an arm around his waist. “I don’t think so, Mr. President,” he replied, helping him down the hall.  
When they arrived in the residence, Leo settled Jed on the couch and grabbed a thermometer. “I’m no doctor, but I think I know how to use this,” he muttered. “Keep this under your tongue for a minute.”  
Jed nodded, breathing deeply as he held the thermometer under his tongue while Leo sat with him, muttering to himself. Jed only caught bits and pieces, but it sounded as though Leo was blaming himself for not realizing that Jed hadn’t been making good decisions.  
The president shook his head and pulled the thermometer out, handing it to Leo. “It’s not your fault.”  
Leo glanced at the mercury. “One hundred and one point seven,” he declared, ignoring Jed’s remark. “That’s not good, sir.”  
“Would you please call me Jed when we’re not with everyone else?” Jed asked, looking up at Leo. “You’re my best friend, dammit.”  
He noticed a flicker of emotion pass over Leo’s face. “Whatever you say, Mr. President,” he responded.  
Jed shook his head. “Sit with me,” he mumbled. “That’s what Abbey always does.”  
Leo seemed to hesitate for a minute before settling next to Jed. “I should have paid more attention,” he whispered.  
Jed shook his head again, wrapping an arm around his best friend and chief of staff. “It’s not your fault, Leo,” he protested quietly. “It’s no one’s fault.”  
Leo shook his head, leaning back into Jed’s embrace in a way he hadn’t had the chance to for years now. “I could have done more-”  
“And it wouldn’t have stopped me, Leo. You know that by now, I know you do.”  
Leo sighed pulling away from Jed. The president watched as he seemed to struggle with something.  
“What is it, Leo?”  
Leo hesitated, then Jed’s eyes widened in surprise as the man suddenly pressed his lips to Jed’s.  
Jed should have pushed him away, should have done something, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to. When Leo finally pulled away, all the usually vocal president could say was “Oh.”  
“I should go,” Leo muttered, pushing away from the couch, but Jed caught his hand.  
“Stay.”  
Leo hesitated but ended up curling up next to him on the couch, and that’s how Abbey found them hours later when she got back to the White House- fast asleep on the couch.


	2. Two - Jed Bartlet/Abbey Bartlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-Presidency, Pre-Diagnosis, Pre-Kids. AKA just-out-of-college, not-yet-married Bartlets. PURE CHRISTMAS FLUFF

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really short, but I had the idea and I thought it might be cute.

“Catch me if you can!” Abbey laughed, running down the hallway. Her fluffy Christmas socks slid over the floorboards as she turned a corner into her bedroom.   
Jed’s laugh echoed down the hall behind Abigail as he chased after her, crashing into everything in the way. His feet flew out from underneath him and he almost fell to the floor.   
Running to the other side of the bed, Abbey laughed at her boyfriend, who growled playfully and chased after her. He’d almost reached her when she spun around and they crashed together, falling onto the bed. Abbey landed on top of Jed and her lips crashed into his.   
Jed grabbed her waist as she pulled away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I just- I just-“  
Jed couldn’t help laughing as Abbey muttered apologies. When she continued rambling, Jed just pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers again.   
This time, when they pulled apart, Abbey didn’t say a word. Instead, she just smiled down at Jed.   
“Merry Christmas, love,” he whispered, pulling her back to him and curling his body against hers.   
“Merry Christmas, Jed.”


	3. Three - Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, C. J. Cregg/Danny Concannon, Jed Bartlet/Abbey Bartlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A three-part one-shot based on the word "stay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH
> 
> Have fun with this one. I cried while writing it.

**Stay**

“Stay.” Josh’s hand flew out to catch Donna’s wrist, surprising even himself. The late nights at the office were excruciatingly lonely and he didn’t want to deal with another long night of reviewing papers on his own.   
Donna froze, halfway out of Josh’s office. “Josh.”  
“Donna.” He tugged her wrist, trying to get her to face him. It worked. “Please?”  
He gave his assistant his best puppy-eyed look and she sighed.   
“Josh, it’s late,” Donna protested. “We’ll both be tired tomorrow this way, and Leo’s going to be angry.” But she was already moving back into his office.   
“We’ll get it done twice as fast this way,” Josh countered, unable to help the giddy smile spreading across his face. “Plus,” he added with a quick grin at Donna, “I’ll get to spend more time with you this way.”   
Donna rolled her eyes, but she grabbed a file folder off of Josh’s desk. She settled down on the couch, and Josh joined her a minute later, his head resting on her lap. A few moments later, his eyes moved from the papers to Donna’s face.  
“Thank you,” he whispered.  
“What for?” She asked, her face heating up.  
“Staying.”  
\- - -  
“Stay here.” Danny’s voice was pleading, the only sound in C.J.’s dark office. She regarded him carefully, her eyes traveling over his childish face, covered with a devastatingly sad expression; over his suit, mussed from the kisses they’d shared just moments before; over his hands, usually so calm, twisting with each other anxiously.   
“Please, C.J.,” Danny begged, and C.J. felt a pang in her chest as she reached for her jacket. “Can’t you stay?”  
She took a deep breath before shaking her head, ignoring the way her heart crumbled in her chest and refusing to acknowledge the defeated look on Danny’s face.   
“C.J., please,” he whispered. “I love-”  
“Don’t finish that.” C.J. was having enough difficulty with this already. This was tearing her apart. Every instinct in her body was telling her to go to Danny, to hold him and to kiss him. Every bit of her wanted to be wrapped in his embrace. But her job came first. Her job always came first.   
“I’m sorry Danny,” she muttered as she stepped out of the office.   
She looked back as the door closed, just in time to see his eyes filled with tears.   
“I’m sorry I can’t stay.”  
\- - -  
“Stay with me, Jed,” Abbey whispered, holding her husband’s hand tightly. “Please, stay with me.”   
He’d had another episode- passed out after a meeting. Abbey had been an hour later than she wanted to be because of traffic, and even when she arrived at the White House, Jed still hadn’t come to. This was the worst episode he’d had yet. When Leo had found him on the floor, he’d called her immediately. “There’s hardly a pulse, Abbey,” the man had told her, worried to death about his best friend. “It’s bad.”  
Abbey looked down at her husband’s face. He was pale and sweaty, but he looked at peace. And that’s what scared her. He’d always looked to be in pain before- it wasn’t like this.   
When he wakes up, she told herself, I’m going to beat his ass to kingdom come.   
The problem was, he didn’t seem to be waking up very soon.   
She rubbed his hand, pressing two fingers to his throat. His pulse was weak and slow. She pulled out her ear thermometer and checked his temp.  
102.6. Higher than it had been.   
Glancing down at Jed, Abbey stood and walked to the bathroom, the day’s events running through her mind as she got a cloth wet with cold water.   
“I’m scared, Abigail,” Leo had whispered in her ear when she arrived. She remembered looking at him, realizing what a toll the last hour and a half had taken on him if he was admitting that. Leo never showed weakness- not when Janey left him, not when the press had found out about his addiction. Abbey had squeezed his hand and told him to get some rest. Now, she wished he was here.   
Walking back to her husband’s bedside, Abbey placed the cloth on his head and checked for the steady movement of his chest. But she saw nothing.   
Her heart in her throat, Abbey reached out and touched his throat. No pulse. She let out an involuntary scream of pain, and a Secret Service agent rushed into the room.   
“What’s going on?” He asked gruffly.  
Abbey couldn’t bring herself to speak. She just pointed at her husband’s still body and collapsed into her chair.   
The next few moments were a blur, until someone wrapped their arms around her shoulders. She turned to see Leo, and they both held each other as they sobbed unabashedly.   
“Why didn’t he tell anyone?” She whispered.   
Leo just shook his head, his arms tightening around Abbey.   
“Why couldn’t he stay?”


	4. Four - Jed Bartlet/Abbey Bartlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some soft fluff based on a prompt about hammocking.

“The air was sweet with the breath of many apple orchards and the meadows sloped away in the distance to horizon mists of pearl and purple; while ‘The little birds sang as if it were/The one day of summer in all the year.’” Abbey Bartlet paused her reading, peering over the edge of the book at her husband. “Jed, honey, are you still awake?” A small smile spread across her face when he didn’t reply. “Jed?” She repeated, just to make sure. When there was still no response, she tucked a bookmark into the book.   
The sun was setting over the water, and it was comfortably warm. The whole west wing was on a trip to Hawaii, and Abbey and Jed had been enjoying a day to themselves. Now, they were resting on a hammock together, Jed having fallen asleep with his head on her chest. Abbey stared down at her husband, surprised at how calm he looked. She slowly ran a hand through his hair, keeping one leg on the grass to keep them rocking.   
This was the first time she’d seen Jed look this happy and calm in a long time, and she didn’t want to wake him up. She rocked the hammock back and forth, wrapping an arm around Jed’s chest as someone approached them.   
Abbey glanced up at C.J. and put a finger to her lips. C.J. smiled softly. “I was just going to let you know we’re back,” she whispered. “But you look pretty good how you are.”  
Abbey smiled gratefully as C.J. turned away. She continued her rocking until she, too, fell asleep.


	5. Five - Jed Bartlet/Abbey Bartlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abbey gets a phone call while she's getting ready for Zoey's birthday. AU of What Kind of Day Has it Been/In the Shadow of Two Gunmen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH

Abigail Bartlet was sitting behind her desk when her cell phone rang. Glancing down at the caller ID, she frowned. Her husband was calling her in the middle of the day- odd. Usually if he needed something to her, he’d just walk down to her office. Frowning, she answered the call.   
“Jed?”  
“Abbey!” Jed’s voice was unusually bright, and Abbey couldn’t help wondering what he was hiding. “How are you, love?”  
“Jed, what’s going on?”  
“What makes you think anything’s going on?” Jed answered cheerfully. “I just wanted to remind you that I love you. Oh, and don’t forget to get the ingredients for Zoey’s birthday cake.”  
“I love you too,” Abbey replied skeptically. “And I thought you were getting those?”  
“Oh, I don’t think I’ll have the time,” he replied, a hint of sadness creeping into his voice. “I’m sorry. Could you do it please?”  
Abbey frowned a little. “Just make sure you’re back in time for the party.”  
“I will. I love you, Abbey. Don’t forget that.”  
Abbey pressed the phone to her ear a little harder. “Jed. What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing. I love you Abbey. I have to go.”  
She frowned. “I love you too. See you tonight.”  
It was halfway through baking her daughter’s cake when Abigail Bartlet got the call telling her that her husband had died from a gun wound.


	6. Six - Jed Bartlet/Abbey Bartlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Christmas scenes between my favorites.

“Abigail!”  
The shout rang through the residence section of the White House from the living room. Abigail Bartlet frowned and continued stirring the batter for the Christmas cookies she was making. “What?” She called back.   
“I could use some help!” Abbey frowned, wondering what mess her husband had gotten into this time. She stuck the spoon straight up in the batter and walked into the living room, one hand on her hip. “What is so difficult about lighting a tree…?” She paused at the sight in front of her.  
Josiah Bartlet was standing on a stepladder, halfway in the tree, with colorful lights wrapped around his waist. Abbey choked back a laugh as she took in the situation. Jed stuck his head through some branches and gave her a pleading look, and Abbey dissolved into giggles. “Remind me how you were elected president?”   
Jed groaned. “Could you just help me out of this, please?”  
\- - -  
Abbey hummed quietly as she put on her favorite Christmas CD and moved around the living room, swaying in time to the music. She carefully arranged the last few ornaments on the tree. Suddenly, she felt hands on her waist and jumped. She relaxed, though, as her husband pressed his lips to the back of her neck.   
She spun around, wrapping her hands around Jed’s neck. “Merry Christmas, love,” she mumbled into his chest as he swayed with her.   
“Merry Christmas, baby,” he replied, slowly spinning Abbey around. He kissed the top of her head as they danced, out there in the living room. She hummed quietly, contentedly, loving this moment with her husband.   
As the song finished, Abbey pressed her lips to her husband’s, then leaned against him. They stayed there for some time, enjoying each other, silhouetted by the Christmas lights.


	7. Seven - Jed Bartlet/Abbey Bartlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jed attempts to make breakfast for his wife.

“Abbey, love, wake up!” Jed shook his wife’s shoulder again. “I made breakfast…”  
Abigail Bartlet grunted and rolled over. “That’s supposed to make me want to get up?” She teased. “I’m only eating that after you’ve tried some.”  
Jed scoffed. “There’s not enough for that,” he replied, grinning mischievously. “It took me long enough to make enough for you.”  
Abbey sighed and sat up, pressing her lips to Jed’s. “Alright, Mr. President,” she mumbled. “Let’s get breakfast.”  
Jed smiled, watching his wife as she climbed out of bed. She’d barely stood up when Jed wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close to him. “Jed, what are you doing?” Abbey giggled. “What about breakfast?”   
“Breakfast can wait,” Jed replied, spinning her around to face him. Abbey rolled her eyes.   
“Food first, Josiah.”   
“Ooh, the full name!” Jed laughed, holding her hand as he led her to the dining room of the residence. “How scary.”  
Abbey shoved her husband’s shoulder as she sat down. “Shut up, Jed.”   
She glanced down at the plate in front of her. There was a lumpy, partially-burnt, heart-shaped pancake surrounded by watery scrambled eggs and blackened bacon. Abbey gave a hesitant smile. “This looks… delicious, Jed.”  
She looked up at her husband, who sighed. “Try it, and if it doesn’t poison you, I’ll go grab the cereal.”  
Abbey grinned. “I’m sure it’s great, Jed,” she replied, carefully cutting a bite out of the pancake. Jed watched carefully as she stuck it in her mouth.   
“It’s wonderful, Jed!” She exclaimed, swallowing and looking up at him.  
“I’ll go get the cereal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of my pre-written one-shots, but don't worry- I have many more ideas!

**Author's Note:**

> Wow! This is kind of sucky, but it's also the first one-shot I've ever written about The West Wing, and is, in fact, one of the first one-shots I've ever written!! I'm sorry that it's a little trashy, but I have more!


End file.
